Will viruses randomly print pictures or is it time to lock the computer down?

A worried mom ^ | 7/30/10 | Califreak

[Califreak]

I was out running errands the other day and there was a weird picture laying on the printer when I got back.

Can a virus do this or do I have a teenager who's possibly up to no good?

[The G Man]

That second thing you mentioned.

[PGR88]

Never heard of virus’ taking control of printer-drivers. I would highly suspect the teenager (or a sibling trying to get them in trouble!)

[kbennkc]

Can a virus do this or do I have a teenager who's possibly up to no good?

Common virus . The teenager is blameless.

[Doulos1]

Ocum says- teenager.

[Califreak]

Damn. I didn’t want to go there.

[Cacique]

No, but I’ve heard this can happen if Obama gets near your computer the printer prints the number 666

[kbennkc]

Never heard of virus’ taking control of printer-drivers.

If you read post #4 , I guess that is no longer accurate is it? You just read on the internet, it is common.

[astyanax]

Do you have a wireless router?
And is printer sharing enabled?
It could also be a neighbor.

[ChocChipCookie]

Damn. I didn’t want to go there.

OTOH, whatever might be going on, it's much better for you to know about it and deal with it now rather than later.

[Califreak]

Is it a common virus? I was hoping. My son said the computer was doing weird things and the security software detected a threat before the time stamp on the document.

It makes sense to me that if viruses can actually change firewall settings and things like that, then maybe it could print something unwanted.

[centurion316]

My computer has a virus that won’t put the lid on the toliet seat down. It also leaves the top off the mayonnaise jar and throws dirty dishes into the sink without rinsing them off. I’ve told my wife that this is a very pernicious virus and I’m not having much luck getting rid of it.

[Daniel II]

What do you mean by “weird”?

[Califreak]

The computer is not on a network, but hubs can run his wireless through the modem.

I wondered if it could have been a neighbor. I know sometimes people drive around with their wireless, looking for a free connection.

[FreedomGuru]

Probably the teenager going to sites that they shouldn’t and acquiring untold viruses. Or do you have a cat? :-)

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Is your printer local or networked?

[TightyRighty]

Atleast you didn't react first.

Remember the scene in a Christmas Story when Ralphie blames his friend for teaching him the F-dash-dash-dash word?

"What did I do, mom? Whaaaat?"

[Califreak]

Woman sans clothing. Not unusual for a teenaged boy to be curious about, but weird to find on the printer.

[kbennkc]

Is it a common virus? I was hoping

Yes. I would tell him you are counting on him to employ his expertise to clean that stuff out of the cache, registry and all those kinds of computery places, and be sure your settings are such that this never happens in your house again so you don't have to smack him up side the head.

[ebersole]

As a mother to teenagers...of course the computer is going to act funny (as the anti-malicious software is trying to keep the nasty stuff out) after visiting the sites that produce those pictures.